Christmas
December 25, 2015

Scripture Reading: Colossians 3:12-17

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. –Colossians 3:15-17

Years ago when I first moved to Oklahoma City and started attended a much larger church in membership as well as structure than I had ever been in before, I marveled at the beauty of music, I had never sung before. At one of the first Christmas Eve services I attended we sang the hymn, Let all Mortal Flesh Keep Silence. I have since thought it captures this day the best.

 Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
and with fear and trembling stand;
set your minds on things eternal,
for with blessing in his hand
Christ our God to earth descended,
come our homage to command*.

There is indeed a song in the air in the presence and welcoming of Emmanuel, God with us. We sing because we are happy; we sing because we are sad, angry, remorseful, full of hope and hopeless. We sing because we are God’s people within whom God planted music deeply in our souls. The music is a love song: “Chose to come with me and whatever we face, we face together.” Whatever song needs to be sung is always sung together whether in sorrow or hope, dissonance or harmony.

Prayer: Lord, forever keep your song in our hearts. Amen.

*First verse of Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence. See at http://www.hymnary.org/text/let_all_mortal_flesh_keep_silence

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.